Shrimp Tostadas

Serves 4 to 6

6 scallions, white and pale green parts, cut into 1-inch lengths

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (from 1 to 2 lemons)

1 tablespoon grated lime zest (from 3 to 4 limes)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup pure olive oil

2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled, and deveined

Put the scallions, parsley, cilantro, citrus zest, garlic, and salt in a food processor or blender and pulse to finely chop. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the olive oil. Add the shrimp and stir to coat well. Marinate the shrimp for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat.

Remove shrimp from marinade, letting excess marinade drip off. Grill the shrimp until they are no longer opaque and are lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Turn them over and grill the other side until cooked through, about 3 minutes more. Use the shrimp to make tostadas, tacos, burritos, and more.

2 small oranges

8 5-inch tostadas, store-bought or homemade (see Trejo’s Tip, this page)

2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced

1½ cups shredded lettuce

1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 recipe Citrus, Herb & Garlic Shrimp (this page)

Tajín seasoning (see Trejo’s Tip, this page)

½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Cut the ends off of each orange. Stand the oranges upright and slice off the rind to expose the flesh, slicing from top to bottom and following the curve of the fruit. Slice between each segment to release the citrus and collect the pieces in a bowl.

Place the tostadas on your work surface and arrange the sliced avocado over the tostadas. Top the avocado with the lettuce. Arrange the orange segments, tomatoes, and shrimp over the lettuce. Season with Tajín to taste, garnish with the cilantro, and serve.

1½ pounds fresh cod, cut into 3-inch pieces

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons pure olive oil

1 lime, halved

1 cup shredded red or green cabbage

¼ cup Cumin Crema (this page)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

8 6-inch corn tortillas

¼ cup Pico de Gallo (this page)

Pat the cod dry with paper towels and season it with salt and pepper. In a large pan set over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until it is just shimmering, about 2 minutes. Add the cod and cook until the pieces are lightly browned and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Use a spatula to transfer the cooked cod to a large plate, and then squeeze the lime halves over it.

In a medium bowl, combine the cabbage with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the Cumin Crema, and the cilantro. Season with salt to taste.

Preheat the oven to 250°F.

Stack the tortillas, wrap them in aluminum foil, place them in the oven, and let them warm until they’re fragrant and pliable, about 15 minutes.

Remove the tortillas from the oven. Unwrap the stack and line up the tortillas, assembly-line-style, on your work surface. Place a dollop of the slaw mixture on each tortilla. Top it with the fish and Pico de Gallo, and serve.

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup cornstarch

1½ teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra to taste

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup cold light Mexican beer, such as Modelo Especial

1 cup shredded red or green cabbage

1 cup Pico de Gallo (this page)

¼ cup Lime Crema (this page)

¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons pure olive oil

4 cups canola oil

1½ pounds fresh cod, cut into 2-inch pieces

8 6-inch flour or corn tortillas

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, paprika, salt, and baking powder and mix well. While lightly whisking, slowly pour in the beer. Do not overmix—you want the batter to be a little frothy. If you’re not going to fry your fish immediately, keep the batter cool by placing the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice.

In another medium bowl, combine the cabbage, Pico de Gallo, Lime Crema, cilantro, and olive oil and mix well. Season to taste with salt and set aside.

In a large deep pot set over medium-high heat, heat the canola oil until it reaches 350°F on an instant-read thermometer. Working in batches, coat the fish in the beer batter and gently lower it into the hot oil, taking care not to crowd the pot. Fry the fish, turning the pieces often, until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to drain. Let the oil return to 350°F before frying the next batch of fish.

Preheat the oven to 250°F.

Stack the tortillas, wrap them in aluminum foil, place them in the oven, and let them warm until they’re fragrant and pliable, about 15 minutes.

Remove the tortillas from the oven. Unwrap the stack and line up the tortillas, assembly-line-style, on your work surface. Place a few pieces of fish on each tortilla, and top them with the cabbage slaw.

1 12-ounce bag tortilla chips

2 cups rice flour

2 cups buttermilk

1½ pounds fresh cod, cut into 2-inch pieces

Oil for frying

8 6-inch flour or corn tortillas

2 cups shredded green cabbage

¼ cup Chipotle Crema (this page)

1 cup Avocado Crema (this page)

½ cup store-bought mango salsa

1 tablespoon Tajín seasoning (see Trejo’s Tip, this page)

Bread and Fry the Fish In a food processor, finely grind the tortilla chips until they form a fine powder. In three separate bowls, place the rice flour, buttermilk, and ground tortilla chips. One piece at a time, dredge the fish in the flour first, shaking off the excess. Then dunk it in the buttermilk, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Lastly, dredge the fish through the ground tortilla chips, making sure to coat all sides. Set the fish aside on a plate or platter.

Fill a large deep pot halfway with oil. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F on an instant-read thermometer. Working in batches, gently lower a few pieces of fish into the hot oil. Fry, turning the fish occasionally, until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the fish to a wire rack or to paper towels to drain. Let the oil come back up to 350°F before adding the next batch of fish.

Make the Tacos Preheat the oven to 250°F.

Stack the tortillas, wrap them in aluminum foil, place them in the oven, and let them warm until they’re fragrant and pliable, about 15 minutes.

Remove the tortillas from the oven. Unwrap the stack and line up the tortillas, assembly-line-style, on your work surface.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cabbage with the Chipotle Crema. Spread a line of Avocado Crema down the center of each tortilla. Place 2 pieces of fish on the Avocado Crema and then add a spoonful of mango salsa in between the pieces of fish. Garnish with the cabbage mixture. Sprinkle with Tajín and serve.